Symphony Takes Audience Back In Time

November 29, 1986|By Steven Brown, Sentinel Music Critic

LAKE BUENA VISTA — There was more than music on the agenda Friday night as the Florida Symphony Orchestra continued its champagne pops series at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. It was as much an occasion for nostalgia as anything else.

As guest conductor Norman Leyden led the FSO in a program titled ''I Remember Glenn Miller,'' listening was only part of the audience's activity. There were sighs of recognition as favorite tunes turned up and excited bits of reminiscence were traded among neighbors. When Leyden pointed out that there were dance floors on either side of the stage, couples headed down front faster than converts at a revival meeting.

During the course of the evening, Leyden and company hit practically all the standards, including ''Moonlight Serenade,'' ''Little Brown Jug,'' ''Tuxedo Junction'' and ''Chattanooga Choo-Choo.'' Leyden also included a few tunes popularized by Benny Goodman and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Perhaps with a view toward the classical music background of the FSO, he also threw in Miller's arrangement of Verdi's ''Anvil Chorus.''

More important, Leyden had the FSO playing all selections with sleekness and spirit. The first half of the program used just the basic big band -- winds and rhythm sections -- and Leyden saw to it that the saxophones were always suave and the brasses mellow or rowdy as need be. After intermission, the string section came on stage to fill out the program in a more lush-toned way.

Leyden brought along two vocalists as an extra touch.

With just a bit of smokiness in her voice to add punch, Sue Beacock was at her best with cheery numbers such as ''Goody Goody.'' Jerry Lindsey, on the other hand, possessor of a smooth and ringing baritone, savored the long, balladlike melodies of ''Stairway to the Stars'' and ''Amapola.''

Leyden, in addition to leading the whole group, got into the solo act, too -- tossing in jaunty clarinet solos in ''Begin the Beguine'' and singing in ''Chattanooga Choo-Choo.'' As a vocalist, it's true, he sometimes came out with some truly strange pitches -- but the spirit was always right.